Page 72 of The Star

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Everyone’s tipsy, dancing, laughing, and having a good time celebrating my mom and Gary’s new marriage, myself included. I’m surprisingly having a good time. I ditched Cassidy about an hour in, leaving her at a table with her parents so I could run upstairs to refill our flask. Then I just never went and to collect her again, so instead I’ve been dancing with my relatives, laughing with my best friends, and avoiding Logan at all costs.

She seems to be having a good time as well, dancing with her dad and making friends with everyone. She’s carefree, like nothing is bothering her, and it’s nice to see her let go and have a good time even though I know she’s upset.

I make my way to the stage, tapping on the microphone to get everyone’s attention, and when the DJ turns down the music, I give everyone a big smile.

“Good evening, everyone. When my mom told me I was going to be her Maid of Honor, I wondered if I would have to wear one of those matching red dresses like all her friends.” The room erupts in laughter, and when they die down, I continue. “Thankfully, she’s allowing me to call myself theManof Honor, and I was allowed to wear a suit. My mom is my best friend, she’s my role model, and she’s everything to me.”

The crowdawws, and I turn to where Gary and my mom are sitting at their table. “I hope one day to be as happy as you are, Mom. And Gary, if you ever hurt my mom, I’ll hunt you down and kill you. Cheers, everyone.”

Everyone laughs once more, and when I hold up my glass of water, they all raise their glasses as well. I step off the stage, walking to my mom and pressing a kiss to her cheek. Gary offers me his hand, and I shake it, giving him a smile. “Congratulations, guys.”

They both thank me, then Logan is tapping on the mic, making me turn to look at where she’s standing on the stage.

She waves a hand. “Hi, everyone. I haven’t had a chance to meet all of you, so let me introduce myself. I’m Logan Briar, Gary’s daughter.”

She smiles at her dad. “Dad, when you told me you were getting remarried, I thought you were insane. But when I met Sara, and started to get to know her, I realized you really must just be lucky as hell. Sara, you are kind, generous, and sort of crazy. In the best way, of course.”

Everyone laughs, including me.

Logan continues, raising her glass. “I wish you guys a lifetime of happiness. Cheers.”

She steps off the stage, coming over to our parents to give them each a hug. When they’ve thanked her and my mom has dabbed a napkin to the side of her eyes, Logan turns away to head back to her table without a word to me. I walk after her, hot on her tail. “Logan.”

“Not right now, Carson. Please,” she says without stopping or turning to look at me, so I stop chasing her and go back to my table as well.

Gary gives a speech next, thanking everyone for coming and declaring his love for my mother. He says some more shit, but I’m too busy drowning my feelings in my Hydro Flask of rum that I block him out.

The bottle is empty again by the time my mom is walking on stage and stepping up to the microphone, so I give her my attention while Hayden sneaks upstairs.

“I want to start by thanking everyone for being here with us tonight. I’m so blessed that so many of you want to share the love that Gary and I have. I knew this would be a special day, but you all have made it even more perfect just by being here. Seven months ago, I hired a handsome, intelligent, caring, and amazing man to work with me.” She slides her gaze to Gary. “When you asked me to dinner a few weeks after, it didn’t even occur to me that it would be inappropriate to date my assistant.”

The crowd laughs, but in the corner of my eye, I catch Logan get up from her table and run from the room. My eyebrows pull down in confusion, but when my mom starts speaking again, I turn back to listen to her.

“Gary, you are constantly impressing me, inspiring me, and surprising me. I am so glad you walked into my life with the confidence and spark of happiness that you did, because I have truly found my soulmate within you. I love you.”

She holds her glass up. “Now, let’s all drink and dance the night away.”

The masses cheer for my mom, raising their glasses with her as the DJ turns the music back up and drops the center lights in the room down to create a dance floor.

I join my grandma on the dance floor, stealing her away from my grandpa for a dance, and when two songs have passed, he cuts in to take over. I press a kiss to my grandmother’s cheek, giving her a big smile and thanking her for the dance. I make my way back to my table, finding Hayden and Levi laughing about something, and I sit down to search the room for Logan to steal a glance at her.

When I don’t spot her, I sit up a little straighter and turn in my chair to double check behind me. I lean toward Hayden and Levi. “You guys seen Logan?”

“She ran out during your mom’s speech. Hasn’t come back yet,” Levi answers, shrugging. “Probably in the bathroom or something.”

It’s been almost twenty minutes since they wrapped up speeches, and something inside of me pulls to go and look for her.

I stand. “I’ll be back.”

Walking across the ballroom, I dodge where Cassidy is sitting with her parents and leave through the doors of the ballroom.

I’m wondering where I should look first, but then I see a ball of red fabric at the end of the hallway, so I run that way.

Logan is curled in a ball against the wall, her chest heaving as she cries. Panic and fury run through me, worried someone has hurt her.

I bend down, putting a hand on her back, but I end up startling her.

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